Folding furniture



B. L. LAURSEN FOLDING FURNITURE Filed April 25, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet l vweyytoz 2 6. z 3513 GHQ M4013 W M W- May 19,1931.

' operator.

Patented May 19, 1931 I mean-e Fries BRUNO LAURIS LAURSEN, or nu'nnmnrmnmn, iissreivon, BY MEsiIE ASSIGNMENTS,

or ron'rY-nienm PERCENT T cLEAnwATnn LUMBER. COMPANY, INCORPORATED,

or CLEARWATER, FLO IDA; A COBPGRATION or FLORIDA nonn na FURNITURE Application filed April 23, 1927. Serial No. 185,969.

This invention pertains to folding furniture, particularly tables and ironing boards.

It is an object of the invention to disclose a combined table and ironii'ig board so ar ranged that either may be used without interference from the other.

Anotherfobject is to so arrange the above" combination that it may be enclosed in a cabinet whlch, inturn, may be attached to a wall or installedin a wallor partition," even'ln a partition less than four inches thick. 7 I

Another obgect 13 to so arrange the combination that the units thereof will remain in either operative or non-operative position without use of fasteners of anylrind.

Another objectls to so arrange the units that the operator maymove the units from operative to non-operat veposition, or V1C6- versa, in asingle continuous movement and with the use of only'one hand. 7

Another object is to sodesign the device that there are no supports or other parts to occupy floor space aroundthecabinet or underneath the table or board under any condition of operation ornon-operation.

Another object is to provide an arrangement in which the movable members are approximately balanced, thereby avoiding accidents due to the members falling'on the Fig. 1 is a front view of the cabinet with table and ironing board in closed, or inoperative, position. v

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of Fig. v1, on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3is a cross-section on the line 22 cabinet.

of Fig. 1 but with ironing board-in operative, and table top in inoperative, positions.

Fig. 41 is a detail cross-section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectlon on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 but with the table in operative position.

Fig. 6 is a detail cross-section on the lme 6'6 of F 1g. 5. l

The arrangement maybest be understood by reference to Fig. 5, which shows the device completely open and the rectangular table 10 in operative position, resting on top of the tapered ironing board .12, which is, in turn, supported by inclined brace member 14 secured at its lower endbyhinge 16 to the bottom cross member 18 of the hingedv to board 12 by the trunnion-like ends of cross bar 20 projecting through holes in blocks 22 (Fig. 4:) at'F/aChQC1 to board 12' on its under side.

The cabinet end of board 12 has fast to it a cross bar 24 ha-vingtrunnion ends 26 engagin slots in the inner surfaces of the vertical side members 28 of the cabinet (Figs. 5 and 6). Each slot comprises a long vertical section 30 and a short horizontal section 32, as will be understood from Fig. 5.

It will be evident that the weight ofboard 12 will always tend to keep trunnions '26 in the outer ends of slots 32 whenever the do rice is in position for use, which means that no auxiliary fasteners are needed.

The table top 10, atits end toward the cabinet,- is provided on its under side, near its edges, with blocks 341 bored'horizontally to engage trunnions'26, as may best be seen in Fig. 6. l

. It will be evidentfrom' the above description that whenthe table is inoperative position it rests on top of the ironing board, being pivotally engaged at its inner end by trunnions 26. For clarity of illustration top 10 and board 12 are shown in Fig. 5 with space between them, but in reality they are,

in contact. Near the middle oiits length the table top is provided with a hinged joint, in theform ofhinges 36.

Fig. shows; the arrangement when the The upper end of brace 14 is 1,": riu

operator desires to use the table 10. If he wants to use the ironing board 12 he simply folds the table top back out of the way as shown in Fig. 3, leaving the board 1% ready for use. The outer end of table 10 may be moved upwardly from the position shown in Figure 5, independently o the board 12 and without the hoolrmember 44E engaging the outer end of the board; said hook member on said upward movement of the outer end oi the table 10 clearing the outer end of the board 12. Hinge '36 permits the table top to fold into the upper half of the cabinet, its weight being carried by trunnions 26. As its center ol gravity is behind trunnions 26 it remains in this raised position without being fastened.

If itbe desired to fold both telne 10 and ironin board 12 into the cabinet, they are first pieced in the position shown in Fig. 5, then the operator pushes inwardly and downwardly on the outer free ends of table and board. The inward push moves trunnions 26 out of hori -1onlal slot 32 into the lower end of vertical slot 30 and the downward push swings table and board about bar as a pivot until they are in the position shown in Figs. 1 end 2, in which it will be seen that the table top 10 comprises the front exposed surface of the cabinet, surrounded by the frmne com piosed of bottom member 18, side members 28 and top member The cabinet may, if desired, be fitt d with it back ll The cabinet imiy e 1 the wall, as desired. The top memb grooved it its underside, Fi ures :2, and to receive the upper end of the table l0 wl the device is fully closed.

The cabinet is opened and the table and board moved to operative position by pull handle 42 to draw out h T il hen this is done the top be" and the heel; member {i i. 0., moves upwardly into e the end of board 12 so that ment of the table will brin it to the position shown in opening operation is accomplished in a single continuous movement of table top end board outwardly and upwardly, pivoting about bar 20 in the direction opposite to the closing movement previously described. I

\Vhile in closed position trunnions in the upper end of slot prevent the upper end of table and board tromn'ioving eutwardly, therefore the parts remain in closed position automatically without use oi fasteners until the midsection of the table top is drawn outwardly by handle 42, whereupon hook l4 engaged board 12 and the parts open up as described.

It will be observed that the weight of both table and ironing board is nearly evenly divided on both sides of pivot 20, thereby rther movenrd 12 with other forms without departure from its spirit. v

l cl2uin 1. In a device of the class described, a cabinet having vertical side members with slots in the inner surfaces thereof, each slot comprising at long vertical section and a short horizontal section, in ironing board having at its cabinet end trunnions engaging said slots, a brace extending et veeu and hinged to the lower portion of the cabinet and said board, a table top engaging said trunnions its end toward the cebinet and having an intermediate point oi its length a hinged joint; said board brace and top being foldable within the cabinet while not in operative position, and said top being of s. length and a width to close the front of the cabinet when the top is in inoperative posinon.

2. In a device of the class described, a cabinet having vertical side members with slots in the inner surfaces thereof, each slot comprising a long vertiealsection end a short horizontal section, an ironing board having at its cabinet end trunnions engagsaid slots, e brace extenoing between and hinged to the lower portion of the cabinet and said board, a table top engaging said trunnions at its end toward the cabinet and having at an intermediate point of its length a hinged joint; said board brace and top being fold-able within the cabinet while not in operative position, and said top being of alength and a width to close the front of the cabinet when the top is in inoperative position, and a hook member on the top arranged to engage the board so that movement of the top to operative position will bring with it the board.

In testimony whereof I hereto eliix my signature.

BRUNO LAURIE) LAURSEN. 

